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Nov. 1, 1927. 1,647,942

' c A. TINDALL 4 TILL Filed March2l, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 1, 1927.

' C. A. TINDALL' TILL Filed March 2l, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 1, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,647,942 PATENT OFFICEa CARL ALBERT TINDALL, OF SHELBYVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO JOSEPH R. SHOWERS, OF SHELIBYVILLE, INDIANA.

TILL.

Application filed March 21, 1921. Serial No. 454,201.

My invention relates to an accessory for those types of recording machines sold generally under the name of adding machines, which are provided with a totaling key and with a crank or lever actuated to record the individual items set up on the machlne, as well as to record or print the totals.

My accessory is a till, the drawer of WlllOh is inclosed in a case with a flat top, and the case provided within with drawer latching -and operating mechanism controlled by a removable pin, arranged to be engaged by the total key of the adding machine to release the drawer upon the printing of a total; or the accessory may be provided with two pins, one arranged to be actuated upon the depression of the total key, and the other arranged to be actuated by the lever or crank operating the printing mechanism, both pins controlling drawer releasing mechanism.

It has heretofore been proposed to operate the drawer releasing mechanism by a pin arranged to be depressed by the crank of the adding machines.

Such construction has the disadvantage of releasing the drawer upon the recording or printing of each item set up on the machine, whereas in my construction the till is opened 9 only when all the items contained in the total are printed.

The top of the case is perfectly flat and free from any projections that in any way will hinder the use of the case as a. desk or store counter.

Referring to the drawings, in which like parts are similarly designated-4 Figure 1 is a perspective view of my cash drawer on which rests a well known type of recording mechanism or adding machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the latching of locking mechanism of the drawer. I Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the metal block forming the bearing for an operating 1n. P Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate different types of total key operated pins, and Fig. 7 illustrates a modification of the drawer control.

My till or cash drawer comprises a case 10, preferably of wood, having a flat top. The till or drawer 12 may be of any usual construction and have any desired number plurality of levers in this instance by two levers 15 and 16 pivoted on pins 17 and 18 that are mounted in blocks 19 and 20 fastened to the underside of the top 11 of the case 10.

The rear ends of these levers are depressed by springs at 21 and 22, as is customary. The rear ends of the pivoted latching levers form abutments for the rear wall of the drawer, and prevent it from being opened.

The rear end of the right hand lever 15 is preferably, but not necessarily, spaced slightly from the rear of the drawer, so that when lever 16 is operated by the total key T of the recording machine, the drawer will be slightly moved forward under this lever by the spring 14: and still be held by the lever 15 arranged to be subsequently operated by the clearing or. printing lever or crank P of the recording mechanism. Each lever is operated and depressed at its forward end by a pin, 23 and 24, respectively.

Either or both of these pins may pass through a wear block 25 of metal, set into the top 11 of the case, preferably flush with the top surface, so as not to hinder the use of the case 10 as a desk or store counter when the recording machine is removed.

One or both of the pins 23 and 24: may be moved into an inoperative position, so that the adding or other machine may be operated without operating the till, or they may be entirely removed.

For this purpose I have illustrated, for example, the pin 24 as having an eccentric head 26 that may be swung into and out of the path of its actuator. In this instance the head 26 is provided with a fork .17 that may upon rotation of the pin 24 be swung from under the head of the total key T.. The pin has a notch or groove 28 in its opposite sides, and one or the other of these grooves may be frictionally held by a bullet catch 29, retained in a lateral bore 30 in the block 25. The grooves 28 are elongated to permit the depression of the pin without disengaging the catch.

In Fig. 6 the head 26 is pivoted in the end of the pin 24, to be swung into the dotted line position.

In Fig. 5 the head 26 is mounted on a rod 31 that when swung is held in its rotated position in a bayonet slot 32.

Foth pins 23 and 24 are readily removab e. I

In most types of adding machines the total key T must be held depressed, usually with the left hand, while the right hand operates the crank P to print the total.

By this operation the total key T depresses pin 24 to rock lever 16 to partially unlatch the drawer, which is then held by lever 15. When the crank P is depressed it strikes pin 23 that operates lever to fully release the drawer, so that only upon the printing of a total will the drawer be released, and not at each depression of the lever P when printing individual amounts.

The same operation and result may be obtained otherwise; for example, as shown in Fig. 7, where pin 23 has a reduced portion 33 and is supported by a spring 34 resting on lever 15. The reduced portion 33 is free to pass through the lever 15, so that the pressure on the spring is intended to depress the lever 15. The lever 15 is latched by a transverse bar 35, secured to the top 11 of the case. This bar is slidable by virtue of slots 36 and screws 37, and has a cam surface or bevel 39 that is engaged by the end of pin 24.

When pin 24 is depressed by the total key T the latching bar 35 is withdrawn from under the lever 15 against the action of its return spring 38 to partially 'unlatch the drawer, then when lever P is depressed it strikes pin 23 and causes rock lever 15 to release the drawer.

Notwithstanding the latch of lever 15 by bar 35, the pin 23 may be depressed by lever P, and simply compresses spring 34.

There is a great convenience in having the cash drawer separated from the adding machine, in that the top of the case can be fiat, so as to be used as a desk or counter, and that the adding machine may be used at any time without operating the cash drawer.

The construction of the actual mechanism may be varied considerably without departing from my invention, so as to provide a separate till unit detached from an adding or other recording machine and which till will be operated only upon the printing of a total. I

I claim 1. A till accessory for calculating machines, comprising a case separate from and independent of a recording machine placed thereon, a drawer latching mechanism in said case, and means exterior of the machine and projecting from said case positioned for operation by a total key of a calculating machine resting thereon for operating sai mechanism.

2. A till accessor for calculating machines having operatlng handles, comprising a case separate from and independent of a recording machine supported thereby, a drawer in said case. drawer latching mechanism, means on said case exterior of the calculating machine arranged in the path of movement of a total key of such a machine when placed on said case to partially operate said mechanism, and means on said case also exterior of said machine arranged for operation by the operating handle of such ma chine to operate the latching mechanism to release said drawer.

3. A till accessory for calculating maing on the case, both of said means co-operat-ing with the latching means to release the drawer when the former means is held depressed by said key and the latter means is depressed by said handle.

4. A till accessory for adding machines without a money drawer, and having an operating lever outside the casing thereof, comprising a case separate and detached from an adding machine when placed thereon, latching mechanism within said case, a pin projecting from the case, a drawer in said case to operate said mechanism and arranged exterior of the case for depression by a total key of the machine, a second latch within said case, a pin rojecting from the case and arranged exterior of sa1d machine for depression by the operating lever of the machine, said drawer being released'by the second pin only after first depressing the first mentioned pin.

5'. A till accessory for adding machines having an operating lever, and a total key both outside of the machine casing and comprising a flat top case provided with holes therethrough, arranged one at each side of the position of an adding machine resting thereon, a readily removable pin for each hole, a drawer in, said case, latching mechanism in said case for said drawer and cooperating with both pins, one of said pins positioned exterior of said machine in the path of its total key for depression thereby and the other pin arranged in the path of the operating lever of said machine for direct contact thereby to first partially unlatch and partially open the drawer b the total key and to permit the drawer to reely open upon the subsequent depression of said lever.

6. A till accessory for recording machines having operating levers outside the casing of the machine, a till case separate from the machine and upon which said machine is adapted to rest, a hole through the case on each side of the position of the recording machine on the case, a pin exterior of such machine in one hole capable of being moved in and out of operative position with respect to the total key of such machine, a pin in the other hole also arranged exterior of such machine to be depressed by the direct contact ofthe actuating lever of such machine, a till in said case and latch mechanism for the till mounted in said case and co-operating with said pins to be partially unlatched by said first pm and fully released by said second pin.

7. A till accessory for recording machines separate from such machines and capable of independent use, comprising a flat top casing having two small holes through its fiat top spaced apart approximately the width of a recording machine, and beyond the boundary of said machine, a pin in one hole to be swung into and out of the path of a total key of such machine when resting on said case, pin in the other hole, a drawer in said case, a latch mechanism in said case for the drawer and controlled by both pins.

In testimony that I claim the foregoingv as my invention, I- have signed my name hereto.

CARL ALBERT TINDALL. 

